The Internet or online shopping and eCommerce business is on the rise as more people get access to the internet.
Thanks to modern technology, consumers don’t have to travel miles away from home to shop at their favourite stores.
Nowadays, it’s much easier for consumers to shop around without moving an inch away from the comfort of their sofa.
Not only that, the introduction of smartphone and mobile internet also means that consumers can shop on the go.
- Visually appealing storefront design
- Essential apps and tools installation
- Always open shops – 99.9% uptime guarantee
- Easy integration with marketplaces
- Simplify ecommerce management tools
- Easy integrations with Amazon, eBay, Facebook
In short, the internet has been a major contributor to the growth in the eCommerce market and anyone can easily set up an online store today.
Getting into the eCommerce market
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In short, eCommerce is a global phenomenon, and plenty of people are curious about getting into the eCommerce market.
They see new online stores pop up all the time and wonder: Could I do that? I wouldn’t even know where to start.
Well, we have some good news. It is easier to create an eCommerce website than you might think. Below are a handful of tips to get you off the sidelines and into the eCommerce game.
#1]. Think big: start with an idea
It all starts with an idea. Maybe you already have a concept in mind, maybe you don’t. Either way, you’ll have to do some research and planning.
Let’s say you want to sell handcrafted sweaters. Your unique selling proposition is the sweaters are matchless, well-crafted, and perhaps even customizable. However, you plan on making all these sweaters yourself, which takes a lot of time.
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This shouldn’t stop you from selling DIY goods on your website, but it should give you pause. How many sweaters do you think you can make each week? How will you keep up during Black Friday and Christmas?
You’ll have to take this into account. No matter what you decide, it’s vital to understand the big picture behind your big idea.
#2]. Research the competition
One of the best ways to source ideas and research is to look at your potential competitors. Continuing with the sweater idea, you could look at Tipsy Elves‘s website for some inspirations. It’s a popular website for ugly sweaters and seasonal merchandise.
What can you learn from this site that might help your eCommerce store down the line? First, they sell more than just sweaters; and they focus on more than just Christmas.
The site also sells kitschy swimsuits for the Fourth of July and college-themed merchandise for college students.
They post a lot of images of customers wearing and enjoying their products too. If you are thinking of establishing your own online sweater store, you’ve already learned two things:
- #1]. It pays to think outside of the box and sell products beyond winter sweaters.
- #2]. Customers love these products enough to post about them online.
#3]. Establish your brand Identity
Next up, you’ll need to determine your brand identity as well as your target audience. These two go hand in hand because you’ll want your brand identity to reflect the values of your target audience.
If you are selling seasonal sweaters, have your brand identity reflect an ethos of comfort and ease. Your target audience will likely live in colder regions and may be interested in shopping for your gifts.
It wouldn’t make sense to target Arizona shoppers in July. Similarly, it wouldn’t make sense to use muted colours in your website design. Sweaters are kitsch, so it only makes sense to use bold colours and silly images to sell
them.
Now that you’ve nailed down your product offerings, brand identity and target audience, you are ready to break into social media marketing. What’s great about this for eCommerce is it is essentially free.
Simply create social profiles across the platforms your ideal customers frequent and post on a regular basis. The goal is to keep your store top of mind by posting content relevant to your customer base. This can happen in promotional and non-advertorial ways.
For example, you can post updates on your latest product launches and upcoming sales. Or you could post tips on how to throw an amazing ugly sweater office party.
It’s good to get a mix of both these methods, as social media users are more likely to follow brands that post content relevant to their lives.
So, are you ready to get off the sidelines and into the eCommerce game? With a little dedication and know-how, you’ll be ready to sell in no time.
